1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to the fabrication of composite resin parts, and deals more particularly with a method and portable station for laying up and curing composite resin parts.
2. Background
Fiber reinforced composite resin parts may be fabricated by laying up multiple plies of prepreg on a layup mandrel. The part layup is then subjected to a combination of heat and pressure. Curing may be performed within an autoclave, however autoclave curing may be time consuming, and requires large and expensive equipment. In order to avoid the need for autoclave processing and improve production flow times, out-of-autoclave curing may be possible for some part applications using a conventional oven and vacuum bagging. However, out-of-autoclave oven curing may nevertheless require use of a stationary oven and may require special equipment and/or tooling for loading and unloading the part. Also, since the oven is stationary, time may be spent in transporting the part layup between other fabrication or assembly stations and the oven, thus adding to manufacturing flow time. Both autoclaves and oven limit mobility of the fabrication process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for curing a composite part layup that does not require an autoclave or an oven for thermal curing. There is also a need for a lean, just-in-time, composite part layup curing method and portable curing station that may decrease manufacturing flow time.